CINCINNATI, OH. (October 1, 2019) – The Queen City is turning into Emerald City for Cincinnati Ballet’s premiere of The Wizard of Oz! Please join Council Member P.G. Sittenfeld and Artistic Director Victoria Morgan at Cincinnati Museum Center for a special Oz Kickoff Wednesday, October 2 from 10:30 am to noon. Sittenfeld will read a proclamation, declaring ‘OZtober’ in Cincinnati in honor of the premiere. Dorothy’s ruby red pointe shoes will then be put on display, kids age 2-4 will enjoy an educational dance class, and an Oz-inspired performance by Cincinnati Ballet’s Professional Training Division will follow.

Beginning at sunset tonight, The “Cincinnati” Icon sign at Duke Convention Center and Cincinnati Museum Center will also be illuminated green, to celebrate the kickoff event. The “Cincinnati” sign will turn green again October 25 through November 3 during The Wizard of Oz at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. Take a selfie with Dorothy’s slippers at Cincinnati Museum Center before they make their premiere October 25 at the Aronoff and upload to Cincinnati Ballet social media channels, using the hashtag #cbapplause. One lucky fan will win 4 tickets to a select performance of The Wizard of Oz! We’ll select the winner randomly from one of our social media sites.

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the classic film, The Wizard of Oz, that inspired choreographer Septime Webre’s full-length ballet version. It’s The Wizard of Oz like you’ve never seen before! Amazing projections, adorable puppets, flying monkeys and of course, incredible dance. It’s ‘Broadway meets Ballet.’ “Oz is infused with Septime’s cleverness and wit,” said Artistic Director Victoria Morgan. “It’s an act of engineering and ingenuity to re-create some of what we saw in the movie on stage. How are you going to create a tornado on stage? How are you going to show the descent of the house into Oz? He’s accomplished that beautifully. It’s total escapism.”

About Cincinnati BalletSince 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to inspire hope and joy in our community and beyond through the power and passion of dance, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance through exhilarating performances, extensive education outreach programs and top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.